Goals for the New Year

New Year’s resolutions

It can be hard to stick to your New Year resolutions. If your resolution benefit your pet, would you be more likely to keep it?

In 2009, the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit discovered that 28.4 percent of smokers who participated in an online survey (3,300 people) indicated they were more motivated to quit smoking after learning second hand smoke was bad for their pet’s health.

Here are some ways your pet will benefit from you sticking to your resolutions:

Exercise you and your pet: Over 50 percent of pets are overweight or obese. The formula for weight loss in your dog or cat is similar to what all the diet experts preach: reduce calories and increase activity.

Cleaning out cabinets: Watch where where you dispose of old cleaners and expired medicines. Many are highly toxic to your pet. Replace those chemical cleaners with some that are natural and pet-friendly. You may even save some money.